Tap-attaching thimble



F. E. RICE.

TAP AITACHING THIMBLE. APPLICATION FILED OCT.26. 1918.

1,329,141, Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

Z SHEET$SHEET I.

4 Illl F. E. RICE.

TAP ATTACHING THIMBLE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT.26. I918.

1,329, 141 Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- Attaching Thimbles; and I do hereby UNITED STATES OFFICE.

FRANK E. RICE, OE DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN TAP BUSH 00.,0F

DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OE MICHIGAN.

TAP-ATTACHING THIMBLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. RICE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of the city of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tapclarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has reference more particularly to a detachable thimble orintermediate connecting ring for use with a bung hole bushing to attacha tap or draw-off valve there An" object of my invention is to providean improved type of intermediate connector or-thimble whereby a tap issecured to a bung hole bushing in a better and more convenient mannerthan heretofore.

Another object of my invention is to provide an intermediate connectoror thimble for attaching a tap to a bung hole bushing, in which thethimble is adapted to be se cured rigidly in a fixed position previousto the clamplng of the tap in place...

Another objectof my invention is to provide an intermediate connector Orthimble for attaching a tap to a bung hole bushing,

in which the thimble has a bayonet joint connection with the bung holebushing and an annular flange adapted to be drawn down I against thebung hole bushing by means of the bayonet joint attachment to provide arigid connection and thereby hold the tap which is secured to. theconnector in position to efiect a tight joint with the bung holebushing.

Another object of my invention is to provide a thimble for connecting atap to a hung hole bushing, which thimble is loosely carried by the tapand adapted to be secured...

- providedwith an annular recess in the outer to the bung hole bushingand then aiford adjustment of the tapwith reference to the bushing toeffect a ti ht joint therebetween.

My invention also as other important objects which will appear from thefollowing Specification and the accompanying drawings, in which I havedescribed and shown my invention in a preferred form.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view partly in section showing a tap connected with abung hole bushing in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an outer side view of the bung hole bushing.

F ig. 3 is an'inner end View of the intermediate connector or thimble.

Fig. a is an outer end view thereof. 1

.Fig. 5 is-a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view on the line 66 of Fig. i

2, showing the intermediate connector or thimble in place on the bunghole bushing before being turned to the locking position.

Fig. 7 is a-sectional view on the line 77 of Fig. 2, showing theintermediate connector or thimble partially turned to the lockingposition.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the tap with theconnecting means in section and showing the manner of retaining thethimble on the tap.

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a similar view on the line 10-1Q of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a view of the inner end of the tap with the attaching meansOmitted.

Fig. 12 is a viewlooking at the right hand side of the part shown inFig. 11.

Fig. 13 shows the expansible ring for holding the attaching thimble onthe tap.

As shown on the drawings: 1

The reference numeral 1 indicates the wall of a keg or other containerwhich has the bung hole bushing 2,-threaded into an opening in saidwall. The outer face ofthis bushing 2, is flush with the outer face ofthe wall 1, and is centrally perforated to provide a discharge openingtherethrough from the interior of the container, and is site places asat 6, to provide for a bayonet oint connection of the connector ring orthimble 8, therewith.

Said connector ring has a pair of diametrically opposite inturned lugs9, at the inner end thereof, which may be slipped vthrough the notches6, of the flange 5, and

then turned to engage under the flange 5, to "prevent Withdrawal of thering 8, from the sleeve 3. The outer end of the coupling ring 8, isexternally threaded as at 10, to afford a clamping connection for thebarrel 11 of a tap, which barrel has an internally threadedclamping ring12, loosely mounted thereon to engage the threaded outer end 10, of thecoupling ring 8, and force the inner end of the tap 11, against theouter end of the sleeve 3. A rubber gasket or washer "washer 13, isdirectly in front of the outer end of the sleeve 3, in proper positionto be clamped squarely between the inner end of the barrel 11, and theouter end of the sleeve 3, when the tap is forced thereagainst by meansof the coupling 12, and thereby efiects a tight joint or connection ofthe tap with the bung hole bushing.

Heretofore the intermediate connector for attaching the tap to the bunghole bushing has been arranged to loosely engage the bung hole bushingand the tightening of the tap against the outer end of the sleeve 3, was

depended on to draw the connector outwardly against the flange 5, tofurnish asubstantial mounting for the tap. With such construction,however, owing to the wabbly condition of the connector, the tapoccasionally did not draw up in perfect alinement with the sleeve 3, orthe washer 13, became I pinched or dislocated so that a tight joint wasnot effected, and also owing to the fact that the engagement of thelntermediate connector with the flange 5, of the bung hole bushing waseffected by comparatively narrow lugs such as 9, in the presentillustration, a perfectly rigid connection was not possible when theattachment was complted as the resilience of the bushing 13, andengagement of the lugs with the flange 5, permitted lateral swinging orjplay of the tap 11, which was undesirable. In order to effect a firmconnection of the intermediate connector with the bung hole bushing andto obviate any opportunity of looseness or wabbling, and 'to insure theinnerend of the tap 11, being/forced squarely on the sleeve 3, saidsleeve is provided at the outside thereof and immediately adjacent oneend of each notch 6, with a rib 15, which serves as a stop to preventturning of the connector 8, on the sleeve in an improper-direction, andalso serves to prevent turning of the lugs 9, beyond engagement with thesection of the flange 5,.With which the lugs are adapted to be engaged,and the under face of each flange 5, immediately adjacent the notch 6,and at the opposite side thereof from the rib 15, is beveled as at 16,to draw the lugs 9, downwardly under the flange 5, when the intermediateconnector 8-, is inserted in position and turned. g

It is not necessary that the inclined faces 16, and lugs 9, should bearranged so that the flange 14, engages the outer face of the bung holebushing, while the lugs 9 are engassed against the inclined faces 16, ofthe flange 5, so as to thereby draw the flange 14:, tight against theouter end of the bushing, but it is suflicient that when the lugs 9, arelocked under-the-flange 5, the flange 14, is held in sufliciently closeengagement so that *looseness of the intermediate connector 8, isavoided. .This result may also be accomplished otherwise than by usingthe flange 14,for example, the inner end ofthe connector .8, may bearranged to seat-against the bottom of the annular groove inthe bunghole bushing or may engage the lateral walls of the annular groove tohold the connector securely in position, or may be otherwise constructedto serve the purpose ofholding the connector 8,,firmly in position andin proper alinement with the sleeve 3, so that the inner. end of the tap11, comes squareagainst the outer end of the sleeve and Washer thereon.

The clamping ring 12 is swiveled on the inner end of the barrel 11 ofthe tap by means of an inturned flange 21 on the ring 12, which engagesan annular groove 22, adjacent the inner end of the barrel, and it iscustomary to construct the ring 12 of two half sections to enable theaforesaid m entirelyseparatc the clamping ring 12 from threadedengagement with the threaded outer end of so that the connector ring 8is free to turn,

and it is advantageous to retain the clamping ring engaged with thethreaded end 10 of the connector ring 8, so that it is unnecessary tostart the threads each time the tap is attached.

In order to retain the ring 8 connected with the barrel, a groove 25 isprovided adjacent the inner end of the barrel 11 for an expansible ring26 which, when inserted in the ring 8, springs into engagement with anannularly enlarged'seat: 27 in the reduced! front end of the connectorring 8, which said annular seat is of sufficient width to permit therequired relative movement of the tap barrel 11 and the ring 8 and has ashoulder 28 at the outer side thereof to engage the expansible ring 26and prevent separation of the ring 8 from the barrel 11 and restricttheir movement so that the clamping ring 12 will not be disengaged fromthe threaded end 10 of theconnector ring 8, when itis adjusted to permitremoval of the tap from the bushing 2, 1 One or more axially extendinggrooves 29 are provided in the bore of the reduced portion 10 and areengaged. by corresponding ribs 30 on the surface of the inner end of thebarrel '11 so that the ring 8 and barrel 11 may move axially withreference to one another, but are held to turn together, so that inapplying the tap to and removing it from the bushing 2, the barrel ofthe tap may be gripped and turned to effect the connection ordisconnection.

The tap is made separable, that is it consists of the barrel 11 andvalve 18, to which the tube 17 is connected, said tube being adapted toproject through the barrel 11, and being long enough so as to beinserted into the container 1, and the valve and tube aredetach-ablyconnected with the barrel 11, by means of the threaded coupling 19.

The operation is as follows:

After the container '1 has been filled, a

' cork or plug is placed in the opening 4.

When the contents of the container are to be drawn off, the-valve andtube 18-17 are first removed from the barrel 11, and said barrel, withthe intermediate connector 8 thereon, andthe clamping ring 12 unscreweduntil the expansion ring engages the shoulder 28, is first placed in postion so that the connector 8 engages on the sleeve 3,the lugs 9 thereofbeing inserted through the notches 6, after which the tap barrel andconnector are given a righthand turn so that the lugs 9, are moved underthe flange 5, and the flange 14 is held close against the outer face ofthe bung hole bushing 2, so that" the connector 8 is r1gidly supportedthereon. The washer 13 is thus held squarely the coupling ring 8 andthereby forces the inner end of the barrel 11 against the washer 13, andclamps the latter against the outer end of the sleeve 3, so that a tightjoint is effected between the inner end of the barrel l1, and the bunghole bushing. The valve proper 18, and stem 17, are then inserted inplace, the latter being driven inwardly to force the cork or plug fromthe opening 4, in the bung hole, and the connecting means 19 isturned-on the outer end of the barrel 11 to connect the valve 18thereon, whereupon the device is ready for use.

While I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, I amaware that various changes and modifications may be made thereinwithoutdeparting from the principles of my invention, and I thereforeintermediate connector, a gasket on the seat,

and'threaded means for connecting the valve member with the intermediateconnector and forcing the inner end of the valve member against thegasket on the seat of the bushing.

2. The combination with a tap, of attaching means therefor comprising aconnector ring loosely but non-detachably mounted on the tap casing forrestricted axial movement relative thereto and adapted to be detachablysecured to a support and adjusting means having a threaded connectionwhereby the ringand tap casing are relatively adjustable and which saidconnection is permanently maintained throughout the said restrictedaxial movement.

3. The combination with a support having an opening therethrough, of adetachable valve member therefor comprising a.

tubular casing, a connector on the casing and movable axially thereofand adapted to be detachably connected with the support to hold thetubular casing in position to affordend of the casing and the rim of theopenl 1 the inner end of t adjusting in of the support, and means forlimiting re ative movement of the casing and connec tor so as tomaintain said threaded connection throughout such movement and prevent 5detachment of the casing and connector at all times. I

4. The combination with a tubular casing and valve therefor, ofattaching means therefor comprisin a connector mounted on he casing toslide axially thereon and held from rotation thereon, an

member having a threaded connection ior adjusting the connector axially,and a resilient annular member interposed between the casing andconnector so as to limit the axial movement of one with reference to theother and prevent detachment of the casing and connector at all times.

5. The combination with a support having an opening therethrough, of adetachable tubular member adapted to register with the opening andcomprising a connector keyed on the inner end of the tubular member toslide axially thereon and having a bayonet joint connection with thesupport for holding the mem-ber so asto register with the opening in thesupport, a gasket interposed between the inner 'end'of the member andthe rim of the opening, a rotatable clamping gnember having a threadedconnection for adjusting the member axially of the'aforesaid connectorso as to compress the gasket between the inner end of the member and therim of the openin and effect a tension on the said bayonet ointconnection, and

means for limiting the relative axial movement of the member andconnector to maintain thethreaded connection of the clamping memberthroughout the range of said axial adjustment and prevent detachment ofthe casing and connector at all times.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses;

' FRANK ERIGE.

Witnesses:

EARL M. 'HARDINE, CHARLES W. HILLS, Jr.

